strange selling practices on here

VimFuego

like some of the others here I go back to the old intermusic forum, so have seen lots of change. The people who were my friends from back then still are, irrespective of any change (and the people who were dicks back then oddly enough still are). Some new people have come along who I think are pretty cool people, and that will remain no matter how the place changes (and I'm sure a new bunch of dicks will also come along). I guess some people dislike change and hark back to some half imagined halcyon time, of cricket on the village green and all that. Thing is, take off the rose tinted glasses and realise it was never like that. There were good and bad then, and good and bad now. You can't control that, all you can control is how you react to what is around you.

Iamnobody

Bridgehouse said:

Wazmeister said:

@Bridgehouse 100% agree mate...

We can only keep doing our little bit. As someone said,

”.... I decree today that life is simply taking and not giving;
      England is mine and it owes me a living...”

You know what’s really sad?

The increase in threads like this where this stuff is discussed has shown an increase in views expressed that I don’t like.

For the very first time ever today I came onto the fretboard with a sense that I didn’t really want to for fear of what I might read and how it might make me feel. 

And how does it make me feel? Depressed. 

Which frankly isn’t very good. It comes to something when a place you loved coming to as escapism makes you miserable because you are sick of the taking and lack of giving. 

At the very least I need a break from this place.

I think that says more about you than ‘this place’. 

You can choose what to read and what to swerve. That’s the beauty of it. There’s topics/stuff we all like and don’t like and the same with members.

If you let it depress you then you’re right it’s time for a break. But don’t blame this place. It’s your problem - this place is largely great. 

It’s admirable that you get involved and try and organise jams etc but a lack of take up of those external events isn’t a measure of the membership here or people’s willingness to ‘give’.

Just about everyone who posts here gives something - just posting and keeping a constant turnover of chat or drivel is giving. It doesn’t have to be money or involvement in external get togethers.

Even the first time poster who sells a decent guitar is giving. They might be giving an ‘established’ member the chance to buy a guitars that they’ve been after for a long time.

Take me, I’ve been around since the intermusic days. Hardly anyone knows who am, what I do etc as I like to keep my personal life detached from this place. I’ve met a few people to do sales and trades etc but honestly have zero interest in making relationships or meeting outside the forum. 

I’ve occasionally contributed to the coffers here and helped out in a collection when a member was struggling. Is that giving enough? It’ll do for me...

Not really having a go at you here but expectations need to be lowered about what an online forum is and the broad spectrum of users that will join.

Boromedic

UnclePsychosis said:

Basschat implemented a "small fee" for their classifieds. And IMHO they pretty much killed their market overnight. 

Maybe then it would be a bad idea, perhaps a minimum post count then to enable lisitng in the classifieds as suggested above, make people contribute before they get the privilege.

Then perhaps leave the financial thing for just supporting the place, maybe with a badge to show your support level? Or would that be just a bit too much TGP?!!

UnclePsychosis

Boromedic said:

UnclePsychosis said:

Basschat implemented a "small fee" for their classifieds. And IMHO they pretty much killed their market overnight. 

Maybe then it would be a bad idea, perhaps a minimum post count then to enable lisitng in the classifieds as suggested above, make people contribute before they get the privilege.

Then perhaps leave the financial thing for just supporting the place, maybe with a badge to show your support level? Or would that be just a bit too much TGP?!!

-personally I think that a minimum post count is unnecessary and just creates more hassle for the mods. 

I think everyone just needs to stop obsessing about the "freeloaders" in the classifieds. They're contributing by offering things for the rest of us to buy and also by buying stuff off us "regulars". So long as they're obeying the rules and not ripping anyone off I don't see any problem. Lots of people sign up for the classifieds, if not all of them become best buds with the rest of us I don't think that matters much. 

octatonic

Wazmeister said:

I've said this before, but I pay the 'gold' rate annually on TGP (about £50 ?).

Yes, it's optional, but the amount of time Ive spent on there, and for many year more on here, it is a negligible cost.

IMHO.

I didn't know this was a thing.
I'm happy to pay towards the running costs of the forum to that sort of amount.

@Roland Is there a static donation page on the site? Could such a thing be set up?

Deadman

We've done it before. I remember contributing once in the past. However I don't really use this place to sell anymore as I find it a pain to post pics up from my tablet and favour Facebook as it's much easier.

Roland

octatonic said:

... Is there a static donation page on the site? Could such a thing be set up?

There isn’t currently a donation page. You can of course donate at any time to TheFretBoard PayPal address. @TTony has mentioned the address from time to time, for example in auction threads. I don’t remember the address with sufficient certainty to quote it without doing a search.

CHRISB50

Iamnobody said:

Bridgehouse said:

Wazmeister said:

@Bridgehouse 100% agree mate...

We can only keep doing our little bit. As someone said,

”.... I decree today that life is simply taking and not giving;
      England is mine and it owes me a living...”

You know what’s really sad?

The increase in threads like this where this stuff is discussed has shown an increase in views expressed that I don’t like.

For the very first time ever today I came onto the fretboard with a sense that I didn’t really want to for fear of what I might read and how it might make me feel. 

And how does it make me feel? Depressed. 

Which frankly isn’t very good. It comes to something when a place you loved coming to as escapism makes you miserable because you are sick of the taking and lack of giving. 

At the very least I need a break from this place.

I think that says more about you than ‘this place’. 

You can choose what to read and what to swerve. That’s the beauty of it. There’s topics/stuff we all like and don’t like and the same with members.

If you let it depress you then you’re right it’s time for a break. But don’t blame this place. It’s your problem - this place is largely great. 

It’s admirable that you get involved and try and organise jams etc but a lack of take up of those external events isn’t a measure of the membership here or people’s willingness to ‘give’.

Just about everyone who posts here gives something - just posting and keeping a constant turnover of chat or drivel is giving. It doesn’t have to be money or involvement in external get togethers.

Even the first time poster who sells a decent guitar is giving. They might be giving an ‘established’ member the chance to buy a guitars that they’ve been after for a long time.

Take me, I’ve been around since the intermusic days. Hardly anyone knows who am, what I do etc as I like to keep my personal life detached from this place. I’ve met a few people to do sales and trades etc but honestly have zero interest in making relationships or meeting outside the forum. 

I’ve occasionally contributed to the coffers here and helped out in a collection when a member was struggling. Is that giving enough? It’ll do for me...

Not really having a go at you here but expectations need to be lowered about what an online forum is and the broad spectrum of users that will join.

Very much this ^^

bigjon

bigjon said:

soma1975 said:

...

Can I chuck £20 in the pot? It's not much I know but your stupid website just forced me to buy a Strymon Flint and I'll no doubt be eating gruel by the end of the month!

If someone can point me in the direction of how/where I can donate I'd be happy to. 

PayPal gift to theFretboard@outlook.com 

I start a thread each year on the anniversary of this forum (August 3rd) suggesting folk contribute £20 as an annual "Friend of the Forum" donation.

A suggestion - how about making "FotF" an official status, with its own members-only sub-forum? Then people wanting to reach the community of the committed rather than the freeloader fringe could do so, maybe offering first dibs on a bargain etc

FAO @octatonic and @Roland ;

soma1975

bigjon said:

soma1975 said:

I've bought and sold a ton of stuff on here since restoring my love of guitar and getting playing again after a long break. Hopefully contributed to conversations a little too. I genuinely never gave thought to individuals stumping up cash to keep it going. Sorry. 

Can I chuck £20 in the pot? It's not much I know but your stupid website just forced me to buy a Strymon Flint and I'll no doubt be eating gruel by the end of the month!

If someone can point me in the direction of how/where I can donate I'd be happy to. 

PayPal gift to theFretboard@outlook.com @soma1975

I start a thread each year on the anniversary of this forum (August 3rd) suggesting folk contribute £20 as an annual "Friend of the Forum" donation.

A suggestion - how about making "FotF" an official status, with its own members-only sub-forum? Then people wanting to reach the community of the committed rather than the freeloader fringe could do so, maybe offering first dibs on a bargain etc

Done.  thanks @bigjon. I wish it could be more. 

With regards the wider conversation, I think all and any payments/donations should be 100% voluntary. The idea of a tiered service or tiered access depending on someone's financial situation is something I am quite vehemently against. Not just on here but across the internet in general. 

Lord_Spanielchip

I’m going stick my head above the parapet here. I’m ‘one of those’ who, it could be argued, joined just to place a classified. But that doesn’t tell the whole story.

I actually registered a while before because I had been lurking (daily) for some time. I continue to lurk (daily) but now with the option to post. The thing is, most of the time I don’t feel the contribution I could make would add any benefit to the discussion - the majority of the regular (and irregular) posters on here are far more knowledgable than me when it comes to gear posts and, given the nature of the internet, there is  a certain sense of coming across as a fool.

Even as a non-participating member I have been impressed with the sense of community on here and donated to a fund to help one of the members prior to my registering because, even from the outside, tFB seemed like a great community. I am thankful for the knowledge I have picked up on here and I am happy to be a member that will contribute when I have something worthwhile to say.

I am close enough to Huddersfield to be able to attend the event there but I am not a confident enough player to tip up. Similarly, I went to the guitar show in Whitworth and had every intention of saying hello to @guitars4you but just couldn't despite spending several minutes awkwardly perusing his fine display! My ‘real life’ personality translates to the information supermotorway and I’m often held back from participating as much as I would like to.

My gear didn’t end up selling through the forum but I was appreciative of the opportunity to list it here. However, if (even by default) I have been a part of making @TTony and @digital-scream want to jack it in then I apologise. 

Sorry for for the rambling post. Perhaps this is a fine example of why I don’t post more!

darthed1981

Lord_Spanielchip said:

I am close enough to Huddersfield to be able to attend the event there but I am not a confident enough player to tip up. Similarly, I went to the guitar show in Whitworth and had every intention of saying hello to

@guitars4you but just couldn't despite spending several minutes awkwardly perusing his fine display! My ‘real life’ personality translates to the information supermotorway and I’m often held back from participating as much as I would like to.

Mate, you would be made very welcome at the jam.

We are a lot of us here that way inclined, the real world is so "dog eat dog" and guitar can be such a personal thing, it is incredibly difficult for me sometimes.  I've managed two major crises of confidence since Woking.

richardhomer

@Lord_Spanielchip - please come to Huddersfield. Players of all levels attend - and you don’t need to play at all if you don’t fancy it. You’d be made to feel welcome - I can guarantee it.

robwright

Sorry guys - very late to this thread and don’t want to dig up any bad feelings but I think £20 a year to be in this forum would be an absolute bargain! I have bought a tonne of stuff (and sold much less, oops!) as well as getting advice, learning about guitar stuff and generally having a blast. As someone has said already, it’s escapism from the drudgery that a lot of us face! 

I’m ready with a score! Would even stretch to a pony! 

Schnozz

UnclePsychosis said:

Basschat implemented a "small fee" for their classifieds. And IMHO they pretty much killed their market overnight. 

Absolutely. I remember it well and the forum has never been the same since - It's mainly international sellers now and it doesn't have that friendly vibe at all. I used to visit Basschat everyday and now it's once a week...Can't warm to it. Used to trade toys almost every 3 months and go round to houses for cups of tea and play through each others collections (no exaggeration) 

We all like looking a piccies and interesting gear, but 80% of that is from the classifieds and not the Gibson/Fender parade in the guitar section.

I agree with Boromedic, where people should post 100 times before they can list or something and by that time, they will have hopefully had a joke with the other members and found those that are interested in the same music and makes etc. Better retention.

Roland

The problem with post counts is that the forum gets flooded with “I agree” and “thanks for posting”

Bridgehouse

Roland said:

The problem with post counts is that the forum gets flooded with “I agree” and “thanks for posting”

That’s my issue with removing frets as well. 

Tone71

Lord_Spanielchip said:

I’m going stick my head above the parapet here. I’m ‘one of those’ who, it could be argued, joined just to place a classified. But that doesn’t tell the whole story.

I actually registered a while before because I had been lurking (daily) for some time. I continue to lurk (daily) but now with the option to post. The thing is, most of the time I don’t feel the contribution I could make would add any benefit to the discussion - the majority of the regular (and irregular) posters on here are far more knowledgable than me when it comes to gear posts and, given the nature of the internet, there is  a certain sense of coming across as a fool.

Even as a non-participating member I have been impressed with the sense of community on here and donated to a fund to help one of the members prior to my registering because, even from the outside, tFB seemed like a great community. I am thankful for the knowledge I have picked up on here and I am happy to be a member that will contribute when I have something worthwhile to say.

I am close enough to Huddersfield to be able to attend the event there but I am not a confident enough player to tip up. Similarly, I went to the guitar show in Whitworth and had every intention of saying hello to @guitars4you but just couldn't despite spending several minutes awkwardly perusing his fine display! My ‘real life’ personality translates to the information supermotorway and I’m often held back from participating as much as I would like to.

My gear didn’t end up selling through the forum but I was appreciative of the opportunity to list it here. However, if (even by default) I have been a part of making @TTony and @digital-scream want to jack it in then I apologise. 

Sorry for for the rambling post. Perhaps this is a fine example of why I don’t post more!

Honestly, go to Huddersfield and have fun, no-one is judging anyone. I was shitting myself before the Water rats but was and still am really happy that I made the effort.

You'll struggle to meet more welcoming folk IMHO

Roland

The advantage of an annual fee is that it deters people from joining just to sell one item. It also deters regular members who rarely sell. A lot of the benefit of our Classifieds is the way that we pass small value items around: a set of strings, a spare potentiometer, a capo. So maybe we should only levy it for items above a certain value, or for guitars and amps

gringopig

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